The use of a transversely extending platform member within a tube shaped carton to provide support for a product within the carton is an art recognized concept. The platform is wholly disposed within the sidewalls of the carton and is typically spaced slightly from the bottom wall thereof in order to support the contents of the carton at an elevated position therewithin, and in some cases may include cut-outs or depressions therein into which portions of the contents may be inserted in order to maintain or stabilize the contents within the carton. This type of prior art carton may often include openings in the sidewalls thereof in order that the contents may be viewed for display purposes.
In the interest of manufacturing economy, cartons of the type discussed above are formed from unitary, one piece paperboard blanks. Because the platform within the carton can be viewed through the sidewalls thereof, various types of printing or graphics indicia are printed upon the upper surface of the platform adjacent a product supported thereby. Printed indicia are also applied to the exterior sidewalls of this type of carton in addition to the printing carried by the surface of the platform. In the past, because of the manner in which the blank is folded during erection of the carton, it was necessary to print the indicia for the platform on one side of the blank and to print the indicia for the exterior sidewalls on the opposite side of the blank. Thus, it was necessary to print both sides of the blank, frequently in separate printing operations.
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a carton having an internal platform wherein both the exterior surfaces of the sidewalls as well as the upper surface of the platform are provided with printed indicia thereon, but wherein the printed indicia may be applied to only one side of the blank used to form the carton.
Another object of the invention is to provide a carton of the type described immediately above wherein the platform is hingedly joined to an edge of one of the sidewalls by a connecting tab which allows pivoting of the platform 180.degree. relative to the sidewalls to which it is attached.
According to the present invention a carton having a plurality of sidewalls forming a rectangular tube having the opposite ends thereof enclosed includes a transversely extending platform within the carton spaced from one end of the carton. The platform is hingedly joined along one lower edge of a sidewall by means of a triangularly shaped connecting tab specially cut and configured to allow pivoting of the platform 180.degree. relative to the sidewall to which it is joined. Printing is applied to only one side of a one piece blank from which the carton is formed, and the platform is pivoted during the folding of the blank to dispose the printed side of the platform facing upwardly in a position to be viewed through a display opening in one of the sidewalls.